Hyderabad: A human skeleton, bits of pottery and iron implements dating back to between 1,000 BC and 200 AD have been found during excavations in Siddipet and Nalgonda districts and in other places.
The Department of Archaeology and Museums is planning to display the latest findings from megalithic burial sites in the state in a museum. Archaeologists have struck it rich in a series of excavations recently.
A huge cache of objects were recovered from megalithic burial sites in Palamukula and Neremetta in Siddipet district and Pajjuru in Nalgonda district, dating back to between 1000 BC and 200 AD.
P. Nagaraju, assistant director of the Archaeology department told this newspaper that a human skeleton with its skull was found in Palamukula village, 14 km from Siddipet.
“The skeleton, which is of a human being, could be six feet tall. It is in fairly good condition and dates back 3,000 years. It will be sent for DNA analysis. We also found red and black ware, a conch, iron implements, a knife, axe and sickle,” he said.
These finds may be displayed at the Centenary Museum located in the Archaeology Depar-tment’s premises in Gun Foundry, or in another museum. “The director of the department, N.R. Visalatchy, will take a final decision. We have appraised the director about all the findings. They are very rare objects. The skeleton and other findings will help us understand the civilisation, lifestyle, culture etc of that era,” Mr Nagaraju said.
Different types of Megalith burial sites are found in many parts of the Deccan Plateau, particularly in Telangana.
They include menhirs, stone circles (cairns), dolmens and dolmonoid cists, cruciform monoliths or statue-menhirs in the Godavari valley region, and others in Medak, Siddipet, Sangareddy, Warangal, Khammam and other districts.
Recently, archaeologists found iron implements used for hunting beneath a 40 ton capstone at Neremetta village in Naganur mandal in Siddipet district.
In a nearby cairn burial site, archaeologists unearthed six pieces of a pottery called red ware, three iron implements, including an arrow used for hunting, and some bones.
